Scans_Daily

Bringing the crack since December 2003

DC announce a new Robin to appear in the DCnU

Newsarama have an article about a new addition to the Batman family appearing next week in "Batman and Red Robin #18, a name which will be familiar, but not who you were probably expecting. I'm not going to put the character's name into the tags (Though I could if I wanted too using an existing tag, which might tell you something)

According to NYPost.com's interview with Tomasi, her personality will remain solidly tied to her appearance in TDKR, though she'll be a bit older.

"She's a college kid who's got spunk and speaks her mind,” said Tomasi. “This is not an alternate-earth Robin, this is simply a girl named Carrie Kelley, who we learn knew Damian, which in turn weaves her into the fabric of the DC Universe for the first time in 25 years.”

Given the original campaign for April 2013's covers of the DC New 52 line was called "WTF," some fans may view this as a mere one-off stunt. However, Tomasi assures that is not the case.

“In regards to how long she'll be around, let's just say that it's a helluva lot longer than ‘one issue.’ I've got plans for Carrie that play well into the future.

“It's all real. It's all in continuity. It's all part of the Batman universe in the here and now. Carrie Kelley has found her way into The New 52 and she's here to stay - in what capacity is anybody's guess - except mine of course.”

Tomasi has stated that it's not his intention to slap her in a Robin uniform and send her out fighting crime. It pretty much states that in his quote above. It sounds like he's going to be treating her in a similar fashion to what Snyder's doing with Harper.

I see absolutely no reason why this couldn't have just been Stephanie Brown. Like, literally none. Carrie Kelly was practically a non-entity in TDKR, she had little established personality beyond spunk and heroism, Stephanie shares those characteristics but has been much better developed over the years and has built in world building and conflict with her father. Not to mention, Carrie Kelly might have been in TDKR and TDKSA, but she's not exactly a fan favorite, whereas Stephanie has some, no offense to those involved, pretty rabid fans.

It's just like, why not use Stephanie and give the fans a character they really want, rather than bringing in a character that no one had asked for?

Even as someone who's not a huge fan of Stephanie it's pretty annoying. It does feel kind of obvious that she's coming in after the death of another Robin, just like in TDKR, and between this and Snyder's upcoming Year Zero, I'm starting to fear that the next couple years of Batman could wind up being extended retreads of much better stories from years ago, which is a prospect I'm not excited about.

I'll give this character a chance though, she could be pretty fun and Tomasi seems to have a good handle on the Batman-Robin dynamic, so he could wing up doing an okay job here.

Perhaps because Carrie is, essentially, disposable to Tomasi. He can use her and not worry about the long term effects and just reap the publicity that the DKR link will create, then discard her character as he see's fit.

She is also, as you say, more of a blank slate than Steph which is better for writing stories which might take unexpected turns.

Potential Robins readers could understand: Stephanie Brown, lead character of her own title pre-reboot, strong enough fanbase to resurrect from an insulting death, friendship with Damien and ties to Batman Inc, already established, already had been first in-continuity female Robin (although DC no longer acknowledges that). Is apparently "toxic" (for unknown reasons) and off-limits to current DC writers who have wanted to use her like Gail Simone and Grant Morrison,

Cassandra Cain: adopted daughter of Batman (pre-reboot), ties to Damien, the rest of the Bat-Crew and particularly Barbara Gordon, is more the Bat than Bruce himself and was content to be Batgirl 24/7, carried the Batgirl title for over 6 years to healthy sales, was created to add diversity (i.e. not a white person) to the Bat-Crew and with Damien's death is the only person of color within Bruce's "inner" circle. Was replaced as Batgirl by a white blue-eyed blonde at a time when Wonder Girl and Supergirl and Speedy were ALSO white blue eyed blondes (whatever you think of Steph the way the switchover was done was in an insulting manner and the racial connotation are impossible to ignore), Is also apparently "toxic" (for unknown reasons) and unavailable for use even though by their own mouths Scott Snyder (who invented Harper Row because of said unavailability), Kyle Higgins, Gail Simone and Grant Morrison all wanted to use her (heck Morrison invented the Black Bat persona just for her so he obviously had plans).

Colin Wilkes: orphaned already (no parents needed to be killed off to make Bruce take him in), the only friend Damien made who was his own age, has a thirst for Justice after being made into Abuse, idolizes super-heroes in general (had a Captain Marvel poster over his bed), does not look in any way like the previous MALE Robins.

Robins DC Editors understand: An out-of-continuity Elseworlds character that appeared 27 years ago and has appeared in just one or two comics since then (though I'm trying to ignore Dark Knight Strikes Back like the rest of the world), was created by Frank Miller (whose vision of the world is strikingly similar to the nu52), does not have the fanbase of Stephanie and Cassandra or a pre-established relationship with a tortured Bruce, but it is stated she "knew" Damien even though that we have never seen her seen or mentioned in any comic Damien has ever appeared in and she seems to be several years older than him.

At this point, I have to see Batman having a Robin as criminal negligence on his part. In this continuity, if I'm not mistaken, there have been three Robins in just a bit over 5 years and 67% of them died horribly - including his own son.

I don't care if there's the whole "Batman needs a Robin" fallacy in play. Batman deals with the worst psychopaths on the planet Earth on a daily basis, and willingly allowing children to be part of that, no matter what their competence level, is dangerously irresponsible.

It's not said she's staying Robin though, her costume is more or less a wink and a nod to her origins I think.

I am intrigued to see what they're going to do with her though. Between her and Harper we've got two plucky "normal" teenage and college age girls becoming satellite members of the Batfamily.

I hate that people are getting pissy in regards to Steph and Cass in the face of these new female characters but with these additions they are going to have to be rebooted to be something specific if they're ever going to written back into the family....

I said pretty much the same thing on my Tumblr. Hating these characters that the writers have brought in isn't going to bring Steph or Cass back, because the writers have told us repeatedly that editorial doesn't want them or won't let them be used, yet or otherwise. So in bringing in these characters, I think writers like Tomasi and Snyder with characters like Carrie and Harper are trying to make the best of a bad situation. At the very least, having more female characters in the Bat-Family of titles makes it less of a sausagefest than it is. I also wouldn't put it past DC to perceive a negative reaction to characters like Harper and Carrie as the fans saying they're not interested in seeing many female characters, full-stop.

Whatever about the costume, that pose is absolutely repulsive. "My boobs and I really, really have to pee, but it's hard to walk with this broken back. Man, I hope we make it in time... by the way, is the music too loud?"

Extras

Founded by girl geeks and members of the slash fandom, scans_daily strives to provide an atmosphere which is LGBTQ-friendly, anti-racist, anti-ableist, woman-friendly and otherwise discrimination and harassment free.

Bottom line: If slash, feminism or anti-oppressive practice makes you react negatively, scans_daily is probably not for you.